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A StarStruck candidate: will she be transformed into Norah Jones, Christina Aguilera or Alanis Morissette?Photo: Supplied

Showbiz hopefuls are coming out from in front of the
bedroom mirror to stand centre-stage, writes Kylie
Miller.

Elvis is alive and well and living on the Gold Coast, according
to David Mitchell, producer of a new live variety show that
premieres on Nine on Monday night. He's also in Sydney, Melbourne,
Perth and Adelaide. In fact, there are hundreds of Elvises living
all over Australia.

A hybrid of the international series, StarStruck takes
ordinary Australians with a talent for impersonation and showcases
their performance.

After a chat with hosts Catriona Rowntree and Larry Emdur, the
folks are whisked from sight where they are transformed into the
star of their choice. Emerging, they perform supported by a troupe
of dancers, a choir and a 19-piece orchestra.

Topped and tailed by 90-minute opener and a grand finale
episode, the series has seven hour-long heats, each showcasing five
performers. A judging panel, including showbiz regulars Vanessa
Amorosi and Doug Mulray, votes for the best performers, who then
move through to two semi-finals.

The eventual winner flies to Las Vegas to perform as part of
Legends in Concert, a long-running show for impersonators
at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino. There will also be a
behind-the-scenes special.

But while StarStruck draws much from international
programs such as Britain's long-running Stars in their
Eyes, from Granada, and Fox's ill-fated American adaptation
Performing As, Mitchell is keen to emphasise the local
differences.

"The only similarity is the fact that we have people performing
as other people. Our show has got a much more fun sort of element
to it. There will be a lot more zany humour in it, we hope."

Contestants have been sought through newspaper advertisements
and on-air promotions on Nine, and auditions held in the east coast
capitals. Once the producers delved into the subculture, they were
amazed at what they found within seemingly ordinary, everyday
people.

As well as "hundreds of Elvises", would-be contestants appeared
as Robin Gibb, Angus Young and more contemporary stars such as
Delta Goodrem and Kylie Minogue.

There were also a few Michael Jacksons, although, as Mitchell
points out, "I think the Michael Jackson market has cooled
now."

When they are not performing on the show, contestants relax in
character in the Vegas Lounge, a room kitted out - Vegas style -
with comfy lounges, a bar, card and pool tables.

Think Frank Sinatra challenging Britney Spears, Angus Young or
Stevie Nicks to a game of pool. Or a pair of Elvises drowning their
sorrows at the bar.

For Mitchell, a freelance producer who has spent 10 years
producing This is Your Life for the Nine Network,
StarStruck suggests the return of big-budget variety; a
genre Australian television has seen little of in recent years.

"It really seems to have gone full circle," he says. "Everyone
said variety was dead." Instead, we have seen a plethora of
lifestyle shows.

"Now everyone knows how to make a coffee table, but I think
shows like Australian Idol and Dancing with the
Stars have shown that people want to watch good old-fashioned
entertainment," says Mitchell.

"There hasn't been a show on Australian TV that has had a
regular troupe of dancers, or a regular orchestra, since the days
of In Melbourne Tonight or the Don Lane Show in
the 1970s."